Ice cube pan



Re. 21,860 Or1g.2,O l-3,S8l

2 Shuts-Shoot 1 ICE CUBE PAN Original Filed July 25, 1933 M. K. BUCHANANEIAL July 22, 1941.

ATTORNEYS July 22, 1941. M. K. BUCHANAN ETAL ICE CUBE PAN Original FiledJuly 25, 1933 2 Shoots-Sheet 2 WITNESSES I BY A art 'i rfa gm ReissuedJuly 22, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ICE CUBE PAN Michael K.Buchanan and Albert G. Horton,

rfolk, Va.

Original No. 2,043,881, dated June 9, 1936, Serial No. 682,157. July 25,1933. Application for reissue July 17, 1937, Serial No. 154,304

34 Claims.

The invention relates to an ice cube forming device.

The invention relates to an ice cube molding device of the type used indomestic mechanical refrigeration for forming the so-called ice cubes 7of a size suitable for table use and in which a mold forming grid iscontained in an open top pan to give shape to the ice cubes as they areformed.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a simple form of gridconstruction by means of which the ice cubes may be conveniently andeasily broken away from the device by manual action.

Broadly this is attained by a two-step sequential manually effectedoperation in which the formed ice cubes are first separated from the panby breaking the ice seal between the cubes and the pan and then bybreaking the ice seal between the ice cubes and the grid to thus freethe cubes completely from the device.

In order to attain this sequential ice cube releasing action theinvention features the providing of a form of grid of two interlappedand relatively movable members, the lowermost member hereinafterreferred to as a restrained follower having a limited upward movementfrom the pan and acting to break the contained ice cubes therefrom andthe uppermost, hereinafter referred to as a plow, having a continuedupward movement and acting on the cubes so freed from the pan to breakthe ice cubes from the restrained follower and thus from the grid.

Various other objects and advantages of the invention will be in partobvious from an inspection of the accompanying drawings and in part willbe more fully set forth in the following particular description of oneform of device embodying the invention, and the invention also consistsin certain new and novel features of construction and combination ofparts hereinafter set forth and claimed.

This invention will be best understood from a consideration of thefollowing detailed description, in view of the accompanying drawingsforming a part of the specification: nevertheless, it is to beunderstood that the invention is not conlined to the disclosure, beingsusceptible of such changes and modifications which shall define nomaterial departure from the salient features of the invention asexpressed in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of an ice cube molding device constructed inaccordance with the principles of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section taken along the line 2-2 ofFig. 1 showing the grid in position;

Fig. 3 is a similar longitudinal vertical section showing the gridelevated for breaking the cubes loose from the pan and from the grid;

Fig. 4 is a transverse vertical section of a modifled form of theinvention;

Fig. 5 is a longitudinal vertical section of a further modified form ofthe invention;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary view in perspective of the lower grid memberadapted for use with an upper grid member of the type including aplurality of longitudinally disposed walls:

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary view in perspective of the upper grid membershown in Figs. 1 to 3, inclusive;

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary view in perspective of a modified form of thegrid member shown in Fig. 7; and

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary view in perspective of the modified form of gridmember used in connection with the grid member shown in Fig. 6.Referring more particularly to the drawings, ill designates an ice cubepan having end walls II and I2, a bottom I! and side walls I4 and IS. Afinishing plate It is secured to a reinforcing block I! which is securedto or formed integrally with the end wall I I. The finishing plate It isprovided with a lip II which is adapted to be grasped by the fingers forremoving the ice cube pan from the refrigerator.

A reinforcing block I 9 is secured in any approved manner, as shown at20, to the reinforcing member l1.

Located within the pan I0 is a two-part grid for molding the ice cubes.The grid comprises an upper member or longitudinally extending plower 29and a lower member or restrained follower 21 with transverse partitions30. The lower member 2| includes a reinforcing base member 22 which liesin fiat contact with the bottom I: of the pan. The member 22 is providedat opposite ends with vertical extensions 23 and 24 which extendupwardly and are in flat contact with the adjacent end walls of the pan.The extension 24 is provided with a lip 25 which extends over a returnedflange 28 at the upper edge of the end wall l2.

A pair of horizontally spaced lugs 2'! are secured to the outer face ofthe extension 22 of the base member 22 and project into verticallyextending and horizontally spaced slots 28 in the adjacent end wall ofthe pan ill and in the reinforcing member ll. Where the reinforcingmember ll is formed integrally with the end wall II of the pan the slots25 are out directly into the reinforc ing member. On the other handwhere the reinforcing member I! is formed separately from the pan andsecured thereto the slots 25 are formed in the end wall and thereinforcing member.

A sheet of flexible material is bent at intervals to provide transversepartitions 35 and rounded bottom portions 3|. form the partitions 30 aresecured together in any approved manner. One end of the strip of metalwhich has been bent to form the partitions 30 is secured at 32 to thevertical extension 23. The opposite end 33 of the strip of material issecured to the extension 24. The rounded portions 3! are secured as at34 to the base member 22. It will be noted that the base member 22 andthe extensions 23 and 24 are of less width than the pan and likewise ofless width than the transverse partitions 30.

Each of the partitions or walls 30 is provided with a vertical slot 35and these slots extend downwardly and into the rounded portions 3| for apurpose which will be presently explained.

A reinforcing bar 40 is secured to the base member 22 along its loweredge and has its ends 4i secured to the extensions 23 and 24. Thereinforcing bar 40 passes through the lower ends of the vertical slots35 and also passes through the end portions 33.

The upper member or plow 29 is shown more particularly in Fig. 7 andconsists of a metal plate 45 having a lever 45 pivotally connected atits upper end and near the upper edge as shown at 41. The lever isbifurcated at 45 and cut away to receive the upper end of the plate 45.The lever is provided with a finger piece 49 which is likewise groovedat 55 so that it will neatly rest upon the upper edge i of the plate 45.

The lower edge of the plate 45 is provided with flared lips or flanges52 so that a space 53 is provided between a pair of lips located uponopposite faces of the plate 45 to receive the reinforcing member 45 andthese lips, as shown in Fig. 1, extend outwardly from the plate or wall45 and form projections upon which the ice cubes rest so that when theplate 45 is elevated these lips will aid in raising the cubes from thepan, Because of the wedging action of the flanges 52 the cubes will beforced outwardly towards the side walls of the pan and away from theplate 45. These flanges in effect form inclined walls at the oppositefaces and adjacent the lower edge of said plate.

A modified form of the upper grid member is shown in Fig. 8. In thisform the lower edge of plate 50 corresponding to plate 45 is providedwith lips 52* located in vertical planes and spaced from each other toprovide a groove 53* to receive the reinforcing bar 45. Semi-sphericallyshaped beads 5i are formed at the lower ends of the lips and these beadsprovide a lifting surface or a support for the cubes. The plate 55 isalso provided with levers 45 for raising the grid and for raising theplow from the grid member containing the transverse partitions 30.

Fig. 6 shows a lower grid member which is similar in all respects to thelower grid member shown in Figs. 1 to 3, inclusive. except that thetransverse partitions 35 are provided with a pair of slots 35, therebyincreasing the number of ice cube cells in the pan.

In Fig. 4 is shown a transverse section of the device containing thegrid for increasing the The bent portions which number of cells overthose shown in Figs, 1 to 3, inclusive.

The upper grid member or plow which is adapted to be employed inconnection with the grid member shown in Figs. 4 and 6 is disclosed inFig. 9 and contains a pair of plates or walls 52 with their oppositeends connected by transverse walls 53. A lever 54 is pivoted at 55between the opposite ends of the walls 52 and adjacent the reinforcingwalls 53. Each of the walls 52 is provided with lips 52 having a slottherebetween which is adapted to receive the reinforcing bars 45 whichin this instance will be two in number. In other words, where largerpans are employed there will be a greater number of cells and the numberof cells is controlled by the number of division walls 52 as shown inFig. 9.

In the modified form shown in Fig. 5, a reinforcing member 15 isemployed which forms a liner for the bottom l3 and end walls II and i2of the pan. This liner rests upon the bottom l3 and in flat contact withthe end walls ii and I2 of the pan. One end of the liner, as shown at H,is provided with an outturned flange which engages over the top of theend wall l2. The opposite end of the liner is provided with a flange 12which is brought over the top of the reinforcing member i1 and securedto the reinforcing member in any approved manner as shown at 13. One endwall 14 of the liner is provided with slots 15 into which the lugs 21project. The transverse partitions 35'' are in contact with each otherbut are not connected together at their upper edges so that thesepartitions are movable relative to each other and are so moved when thecubes are forced from the grid members.

The operation of the device is as follows: Water is placed in the panafter the grid has been placed in position and the device is then placedin the refrigerator. As soon as the water is frozen the pan is removedfrom the refrigerator and the levers 45 are raised and moved outwardlyover the end walls of the pan. As shown in Figs. 1 to 3. inclusive. theouter ends of the levers are forced downwardly with the block I! and thelip 25 acting as fulcrums. When a slight pressure is placed on the endsof the levers both of the grid members which are locked together by thefrozen cubes will be raised as a unit through a distance which ispermitted by the slots 28. Said levers in Figs. 1 to 3, inclusive. willengage the free edge 21 of the extension of the base member of the lowergrid member and this edge acts as a cam or fulcrum in the initial stagesof separating the grid members so that the lower grid member is heldagainst further upward movement while the upper grid member 45 is beingmoved outwardly of its nested position within the lower grid member.When this happens the ice cubes are broken loose from the side walls ofthe pan. Further movement of the levers will cause the upper grid member45 to be moved outwardly from the lower grid member and cause the cubesto be broken from the mem bers so that the cubes may be readily liftedfrom both of the grid members in the pan.

It will be seen by this construction that the slight movement of thelower grid member will release the cubes from the pan while retainingthe grid members locked together until the levers 45 are operatedsuiflciently to cause the upper grid member 45 to break the cubes loosefrom both of the grid members.

The operation of the device shown in Figs. 4 and 6 with the additionalice cube cells will be substantially the same as the operation of thedevice shown in Figs. 1 to 3, inclusive.

In the construction shown in Fig. 5, the reinforcing flange 12 on theliner l and the flange II will act as fulcrums for the levers 48 so thatthe strain incidental to breaking the cubes loose will be exerted uponthe liner and not upon the pan.

The grid member in the form shown at El is provided with roundedprojections ii which when one end of the grid member is tilted will tendto revolve in the pockets formed in the ice cubes where theseprojections are located when the grid member is being raised.

The transverse partitions as have been previously described have aslight movement relative to each other when the cubes are forced out ofthe pan and this movement facilitates the re moval of the cubes becauseof the fact that the slight movement of the transverse partitions tendsto shift the cubes when the upper grid member 45 is being elevated fromthe lower grid member. This movement has the same effect as if thetransverse partitions were tapered from the inner ends at the plate 45to the outer ends.

The operation as previously described refers to the simultaneous use ofboth levers 46 but in order to move the lower grid member 2i from itsseated position shown in Fig. 2 into its tilted position shown in Fig. 3only the left lever need be actuated. Pressing down on the left leverwhich at such time is substantially in a horizontal position has theeffect initially of shearing the extension 22 from any ice which mayhave formed in the joint between the extension and the end wall II ofthe pan and of shearing from the wall Ii whatever portions of the endice cubes which may be in contact with this wall.

The continued action of the lever apparently strains the adjacent end ofthe base member 22 upwardly away from the bottom of the pan despite thepresence of the reinforcing bar 40 and as a result there is a resultingseparating of the base member 22 progressively from left to right of theshowing in Fig. 3 and eventually both the base member is separated fromthe bottom I: and the ice cubes have separated from the sides of the panlong before the Fig. 3 position of the lower grid member has beenreached. It is understood, of course, that there is no bodily movementof the different parts of the grid members but more in the nature of aninfinitesimal strain or spring of the relatively rigid base member butthis is all that is necessary to break the adhesion of ice to a metalmember especially when the ice has been sharply frozen.

The base members 22 in all of the forms are provided with elongatedslots 22"- so that it will be possible to readily clean the outersurfaces of the rounded portions iii of the cells when desired. Theopposite ends of the rounded portions 3! of the cells are secured to themetal of the base members located at each side of the slots 22'.

As shown in Fig. 4, the metal of the base member 22 at each side of theslot 22 is bent upwardly to form the reinforcing bars 40.

In all of the forms it will be readily apparent that when the gridmembers are locked together by the ice cubes that the initial movementof either lever or both levers will. cause the frozen cubes to be brokenloose from the inclined side walls of the pan and when the grid membershave been raised suinciently to break the cubes loose the side walls ofthe cubes will be slightly spaced from the side walls of the pan. Inthis initial movement the left lever 40 will be in engagement with anend of the pan so that further outward rocking movement of the leverwill cause the lever to engage the edge 21- of the extension of thestationary grid member having the transverse walls so that the edge 21will act as a cam for preventing further upward movement and beingengaged by the lever 48 will act as a cam or fulcrum to prevent furtherupward movement of the grid member having transverse walls regardless ofthe cooperating stops 21 and 22 and therefore the last mentioned gridwill at this time be retained against further upward movement while thegrid member 45 may be elevated to the position shown in Fig. 3. Thisaction of the lever at this time upon the free edge 21 of the extensionwill tend to move the grid member having transverse walls downwardlywhile the grid member 45 is moved upwardly and the cubes are broken awayfrom the grid members. The continued rocking of the levers 46 willfurther elevate the cubes which are now in a free state and may bereadily removed either by hand or by the tilting of the pan.

The wedge-shaped faces of the flanges 52 when the grid 45 is being movedupwardly from the other grid will tend to shift the cubes towards theinclined side walls of the pan and these inclined side walls will tendto force the cubes laterally, thereby facilitating the breaking of thecubes from the grid members.

We claim:

1. In an ice cube pan, a grid having a plurality of transversepartitions walls and a plurality of longitudinally extending walls,means for connecting the partitions to an end wall of the pan to providefor a limited outward movement of the partitions, and means for raisingthe longitudinally extending walls and the partitions through a limitedmovement for breaking the ice cubes loose from the pan.

2. In an ice cube pan, a plurality of grid members movable relative toeach other, means for limiting movement of one of the grid members. andmeans for raising 'the other grid member from the first mentioned gridmember while causing limited movement of said first mentioned gridmember for breaking the ice cubes loose from the grid members and pan.

3. In an ice cube pan, a plurality of grid members movable relative toeach other, one of the grid members having walls formed of flexiblematerial so that said walls may be moved relative to the walls of theother grid member when the other grid member is moved outwardly from thefirst mentioned grid member and means for moving both of the gridmembers relative to the pan and then the second mentioned grid memberrelative to the first mentioned grid member and the pan for breaking theice cubes loose from the pan and grid members.

4. In an ice cube pan, a plurality of grid members movable relative toeach other, one of said grid members having walls formed of flexiblematerial so that said walls may have a movement relative to the walls ofthe other grid member, means for limiting outward movement of the firstmentioned grid member, means for moving the grid members outwardly ofthe pan until the limiting means prevents further movement of the gridmembers for breaking the cubes from the pan, further actuation of themoving means causing the second mentioned grid member to be moved awayfrom the first grid member for breaking the cubes loose from the gridmembers.

5. In an ice cube pan, a reinforcing member forming a liner for thebottom and end walls of the pan, means for securing one end of the linerto an end wall of the pan, a plurality of grid members movable relativeto each other, one of the grid members having limited upward movement inthe pan and resting on the liner, the other grid member being movableaway from the first mentioned member.

6. In an ice cube pan, a reinforcing member forming a liner for thebottom and end walls of the pan, said liner at each end having a lipextending over an adjacent end wall of the pan, means for securing a lipto one end wall, a plurality of grid members in the pan, one of the gridmembers resting on the liner, a lever pivotally connected to each end ofthe other grid member, the last mentioned grid member being movable fromthe first mentioned grid member, the lips on the liner acting asfulcrums for the levers when said levers are actuated to force the lastmentioned grid member from the first mentioned grid member for breakingthe cubes loose from the pan and grid member.

7. In an ice cube pan, a grid having a plurality of transverse walls, asecond grid member having a longitudinal wall and forming with thetransverse walls a plurality of ice cube cells, a base member having anelongated opening and secured to the bottoms of the transverse walls.

8. In an ice cube pan, a grid member having limited upward movement inthe pan, means for limiting movement of the grid member to apredetermined height above the bottom of the pan, and means for causingrelative movement between the grid member and the pan whereby ice cubeswill be broken loose from the grid member and the pan.

9. In an ice cube pan, a plurality of grid members movable relative toeach other and to the pan, one oi the grid members having an extension,a lever pivotally connected to one end of the other grid member andadapted to be rocked for fulcruming on one end of the pan for raisingboth grids slightly above the bottom of the pan for forcing the cubesfree of the side walls of the pan, said extension adapted to be engagedby the lever as a fulcrum so that further rocking movement of said leverwill retain the first grid member stationary while the other grid memberis forced away from the first grid member for breaking the cubes fromthe grid member.

10. In an ice cube pan having inclined side walls, a grid member movablerelative to the pan and dividing the pan into a plurality of ice cubemolds, means for causing the pan and grid member to be moved relative toeach other, the lower edge of the grid member having laterally disposedtapered flanges for not only aid in raising the cubes but for causing alateral shifting of the cubes towards the inclined side walls of thepan, the flanges having substantially the width of a mold.

11. In an ice cube pan having inclined side walls, a plurality of gridmembers nested in each other and movable relative to each other and toth pan, the lower portion of one oi the grid members having laterallydisposed inclined surfaces on its opposite faces for not only creating aiii ting effect on the cubes when said grid member is elevated but forcausing a lateral shifting of the cubes towards the inclined side walls,said inclined surfaces having substantially the width the cube, meansfor moving the grid members relative to the pan, and th first mentionedgrid relative to the other grid for releasing the cubes frozen in thepan.

12. In an ice cube pan, a plurality of grid members nested in eachother, a lever pivotally connected to one grid member and adapted toengage one end of the pan for raising both grid members in the pansufllciently above the bottom of the pan to break the cubes loose fromthe side walls of the pan, the other grid member having an extensionadapted to be engaged by the lever after the said grid member has beenraised for retaining the said grid member against movement while thefirst mentioned grid member is moved away from the second mentioned gridmember for breaking the cubes loose from said grid members.

13. A receptacle for producing ice particles comprising a pan and a gridstructure flexible in part and dividing said pan into four corner cellsand a series of intermediate cells disposed in rows and extendingbetween said corner cells, said grid structure embodying a longitudinal,vertically disposed wall and a plurality of vertically disposed wallsextending transversely from the longitudinal wall on opposite sidesthereof, and handles attached to the ends of the longitudinal wall, atleast one of said handles being formed to engage the pan to provide alever system to raise the grid structure upwardly from the pan and tobreak the ice bond between the particles and the pan, both of saidhandles being effective to remove the ice particles from the gridstructure.

14. In a grid for an ice tray comprising a longitudinal wall andflexible transverse walls, the lower edge of the longitudinal wall beingbifurcated and a rigid reinforcing metallic element for the gridoverlapped by the bifurcated lower edge of th longitudinal wall and saidreinforcing element being secured to th grid only at spaced apart pointsalong the bottom or the grid.

15. The combination oi. a tray, a grid fitted in the tray and comprisinga plurality of partitionforming elements of flexible material, eachsubstantially U-shaped in longitudinal section, a side wall of oneelement being in contact with but not connected to the adjacent wall ofthe next contiguous element and having a limited freedom of movementrelative thereto, a bottom member connecting the elements at theirbottoms, said walls provided with slots in longitudinal alignment and arelatively rigid longitudinal partition removably fitted in the slotsand having projections therefrom protruding into the mold spaces formedwithin the flexible walled elements.

16. A receptacle for producing frozen ice cells comprising a pan and agrid structure therefor dividing said pan into four corner cells and aseries of intermediate cells disposed in rows and extending between thecorner cells, said grid structure embodying walls having their bottomsfixed relative to each other extending along opposite sides of saidintermediate cells and each wall being formed of two flexible metallicsheets disposed in abutting relation with respect to each other andtheir upper edges capable oi. relative movement therebetween.

1'7, Apparatus for producing ice pieces including a tray, a grid fittedin the tray and comprising a longitudinal wall and a plurality oftransverse walls, an adjacent pair of the transverse walls connected toeach other and coacting with the longitudinal wall to form three sidesof an ice mold, and manually actuated lever for engaging one end of thelongitudinal wall and providing a mechanical advantage in separating theadjacent end of the grid from the tray and in separating thelongitudinal wall from the transverse walls.

18. In a device of the class described, the combination of a long,narrow, shallow pan having upstanding outlining walls tree ofobstruction between the walls, means at the opposite narrow endsproviding upwardly exposed bearing surfaces, a grid for dividing the paninto a plurality of ice forming molds, said grid including an upstandingstructure extending longitudinally down the center of the pan anddividing the same substantially into two equal parts, transversepartitions extending in parallel and spaced apart relation between saidcentral structure and the adjacent long side walls of the pan to form aplurality of ice cube molds on opposite sides of the central structure,said transverse partitions being movable relative to each other topermit the ice cubes to be readily removed from the molds after theyhave been separated Iran the bottom of the pan, and a pair 01 rod-likelevers pivoted to the central structure adjacent its opposite ends andeach lever adapted to be swung into position bearing down on theadjacent bearing surface to elevate from the pan the part of the centralstructure to which the lever is pivoted and thus break from the pan theice adhering to the said part.

19. A grid for ice cube trays comprising relatively movable sections topartition the interior of said trays, said sections each having alongitudinal member, said members adapted to lie in a common planewithin the tray, said grid having lateral elements carried by one ofsaid members and being of such depth as to project over the longitudinalmember of the other grid section, the sections of said grid beingrelatively movable to permit said longitudinal members to be at leastpartially separated.

20. A grid for ice cube trays, including a lower section including amember extending longitudinally in a tray, an upper section including alongitudinal member adapted to lie in a common plane with said lowermember, laterally extending elements on the longitudinal member of saidupper grid section, said elements extending below the bottom of saidlongitudinal member of the upper section and having slots extendingupwardly to receive said bottom section therein, said grid sectionsbeing relatively movable to permit the cubes to be released irom thetray.

21. A grid for ice cube trays, including a lower section including alongitudinal vertically disposed member in a tray, an upper sectionincluding a longitudinal member and laterally extending projections,said projections extending below the bottom of said second longitudinalmember and having slots to receive said bottom section therein, saidgrid sections being relatively movable to permit the cubes to bereleased from the tray.

22. A grid for ice cube trays, including a lower section having alongitudinal vertically disposed member, a relatively movableupper'section including a longitudinal member adapted to lie in a commonplane with said lower member whereby said longitudinal membersconstitute a single vertical wall and laterally extending projections onthe longitudinal member of said upper grid section, said projectionsextending below the bottom of said last named longitudinal member.

23. An ice cube pan having a first grid member, a second grid membercooperating with the first grid member to form ice cube cells, means forraising the second grid member to break the ice cubes loose from the panand grid members, cooperating means on the pan and first grid member toprovide for a slight upward movement of the first grid member when theraising means is actuated, the cooperating means retaining the firstgrid member from further movement while the-second grid member is forcedoutwardly from the first grid member.

24. An ice cube pan having a first grid member. a second grid member,means for raising the second member to break the ice cubes loose fromthe pan and the grid members, cooperating means on one end of the firstgrid member and an end wall of the pan to provide for limited outwardmovement of the first mentioned grid member when the raising means forthe second grid member is initially actuated.

25. An ice cube pan having a first grid member, a second grid member,means for raising the second grid member to break the ice cubes loosefrom the pan and the grid members, cooperating means on one end or thefirst mentioned grid member and an adiacently disposed end wall of thepan and including slots and lugs to provide for'limited outward movementof the first grid member when the raising means for the second member isinitially actuated.

26. In an ice cube pan, a grid including a first grid member and asecond grid member, means for raising said second grid member, means forloosely connecting one end 01' the first grld,mem-' ber with an end wallof the pan to provide for a limited outward movement of the first gridmember during the initial actuation oi. the raising means.

2'1. A grid to divide the interior oi an ice cube tray into individualcube compartments, including a lower section having a longitudinalmember, an upper section including a longitudinal member havinglaterally extending projections projecting below the longitudinal memberof the upper section and having slots extending upwardly from the bottomof the projections to receive therein the longitudinal member of thebottom section, both grid sections lying unattached to each other whenin said tray, and lever means acting directly on said grid sections tocause a relative movement of said grid sections.

28. A grid to divide the interior of an ice cube tray into individualcube compartments, comprising a lower section including a longitudinalmember, an upper section including a longitudinal member havinglaterally extending projections, arranged to receive said lowerlongitudinal member, said upper and lower sections being relativelymovable within the tray, and lever means arranged to press downwardly onsaid lower grid section and upwardly on said upper grid section to causea relative movement of said grid sections.

29. In a liquid congealing apparatus, the combination of an ice tray,means including longitudinal and transverse elements for dividing theinterior oi the tray into compartments i'or forming separate particlesoi ice, said means being formed at least in part of parallel flexiblemetallic walls and one of said elements comprising a substantiallystraight metallic wall member extending longitudinally oi the tray andhaving an upper portion disposed in a general vertical direction with alower substantially fiat portion disposed at a small angle to thevertical portion and substantially filling the space between twoadjacent transverse elements and assisting in lifting the frozen iceaway from th ice tray when said wall member is raised and a lever actingon said wall member for forcefully breaking the bond between the ice andthe ice tray when said wall member is raised relative to the ice tray.

30. In an ice cube forming device, the combination of an open top tray,a grid lying loose in the tray and dividing the interior of the trayinto a plurality of ice cube forming molds, said grid including a lowersection comprising a longitudinally extending flat plate having anupwardly extending end provided with a lever engaging member, an uppersection having a longitudinal member having a lever engaging member onan end thereof, said grid having laterally extending elements and alever-adapted to mutually react on said engaging members on the gridsections to cause a relative movement of said grid sections.

31. In an ice cube forming device, the combination of an open top tray,a grid in the tray and including two relatively separable units, oneconstituting a plurality oi transversely extending partitions, certainof said transverse partitions provided with aligned vertically extendingslots and the other constituting a'longltudinal partition located insaid slots and intersecting said slotted partitions to form a pluralityof ice cube forming molds, the unit comprising the transverse partitionsbeing iree at all times to rise from their ice locked engagement withthe tray and a manually actuated leverage means reacting between the twounits to force one upwardly and the other downwardly, causing thelongitudinal partition to move relative to the slotted partitions tobreak the adhesion of the formed ice cubes to the device.

32. A device for molding ice cubes includin a pan to hold water and agrid therein to form therewith a plurality of ice molding compartments,said grid comprising a plurality of partitions separable from and bodilymovable relative to each other and to the pan, and power multiplyingmeans reacting between the pan and grid to move all of the grid as aunit relative to the pan to break the ice in the compartments tree fromth pan and also reacting between the relatively movable partitions toshift them from the position they occupied relative to each other whileforming the ice thereby to break the ice in the compartments free fromthe partitions.

33. Apparatus for producing ice pieces comprising a tray and a grid fordividing the tray into a plurality of ice cells. said grid including twolongitudinally extending backbone elements movable relative to eachother and to the tray, and a plurality of transverse walls carried byone of said elements tree to move up from the bottom of the tray whenice particles are attached thereto, both of said elements extending forthe major portion of the length oi the tray interior and at least one ofsaid members providing for rigidity in a vertical plane, and forcemultiplying means reacting between said longitudinal elements to effectrelative movement between them.

34. A grid for ice cube trays, including a section extendinglongitudinally oi a tray and including an upstanding element, anothersection having a longitudinal element adapted to lie in the same planewith and above said first named element, one of said sections havinglateral ilns to form partitions in the tray, said sections beingrelatively movable to permit the cubes to be released from said grid.

- MICHAEL K. BUCHANAN.

ALBERT G. HORTON.

